float 1 of 2

Definition of floatnext
1
as in to hover
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air a canoe floating down the river particles of dust floating in the air

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2

float

2 of 2

noun

as in dock
a structure used by boats and ships for taking on or landing cargo and passengers the crew put the cargo on the float before heading back down the river

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of float
Verb
This is also a good time to limit how much of your personal information is floating around online. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2026 Summer is the most popular (and most expensive) time to visit, with reliable access to hiking, biking, floating, outdoor concerts, and more. Sierra Vandervort, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2026
Noun
Borrowing inspiration from the Rose Parade, the floats feature everything from silk flowers to coffee beans, crushed pine cones and cranberry seeds. Nikki Dementri, CBS News, 23 June 2026 These treats inspired by ice cream floats will be the talk of the party. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for float
Recent Examples of Synonyms for float
Verb
  • The Oranje are leading possession and for the most part have been hovering perilously close to Tunisia’s net.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 26 June 2026
  • Euclid, which is hovering 930,0000 miles from Earth, captured the image with its visible light camera over 26 hours in March 2025.
    CBS News, CBS News, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • Lightweight, packable flats are an underrated cruise wardrobe MVP, and these Skechers Bobs slip on in a second for everything from casual deck days to wandering the promenade after dinner.
    Robin Raven, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2026
  • But people who spend time around livestock — including kids who visit relatives’ ranches, ride at lesson barns or wander the Stockyards on a weekend — should know what an infestation looks like and report anything unusual to a veterinarian.
    Ciara McCarthy. Produced with AI assistance, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • The animal eventually crawled under a dock.
    Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026
  • Plus, its dock automatically empties the dustbin, washes and dries the mop pads, and can go up to 65 days between dustbin changes.
    Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Earlier this month three vessels from the China’s Maritime Safety Agency (MSA) a civilian law enforcement organization sailed through the Bashi Channel between the Philippines and Taiwan to begin law enforcement and mapping activities in waters east of Taiwan.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
  • But Bukayo Saka sailed his header over the net.
    Monica Alba, NBC news, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • Marguerite Henry's story follows real-life siblings who hope to capture and own one of the wild ponies that roam the Virginia and Maryland coast.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 25 June 2026
  • Young children will appreciate the room to roam, while those who want to people watch couldn't ask for a better spot.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • The waterfront is especially striking, with its historic red wharf and peaceful view of Penn Cove.
    Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2026
  • The 200-acre terminal will feature two new berths and 3,000 linear feet of new wharf designed for larger next-generation container ships in natural deep water.
    Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • Authorities have warned people to take extra care when swimming in unsupervised areas, such as rivers or lakes, following the deaths of around 40 people in France over the past week.
    Kirsten Grieshaber, Fortune, 27 June 2026
  • Dong also unsuccessfully tried to swim to a Taiwanese island.
    ABC News, ABC News, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • With tuition rising, many Americans are drifting toward the view that college isn’t worth the expense.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 25 June 2026
  • But the sailboat had drifted into shallow water, and the rescue boat could not reach the vessel.
    Paula Wethington, CBS News, 24 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Float.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/float. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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